SgtRock's stats
- Review count152
- Helpfulness votes415
- First reviewApril 22, 2008
- Last reviewNovember 12, 2023
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.3
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- Answer count13
- Helpfulness votes4
- First answerNovember 17, 2014
- Last answerMarch 2, 2021
- Featured answers0
- Best answers2
The Blue Pure 411+ air purifier offers high performance, simple one-button operation, and customizable colors - all in a lightweight, compact package. The air purifier creates a comfortable environment with a 360° air intake to completely filter room air about every 12.5 minutes or about 4.8x an hour in small rooms up to 185 ft². The 3-step combination particle + carbon filter removes annoying household odors, as well as 99.97% of airborne particles, like pollen, dust, pet dander, and more with Blueair's HEPASilent™ filtration technology. The Blue Pure 411+ is rated by ENERGY STAR for energy efficiency and awarded the Quiet Mark for impressively quiet operation. Easily adapt the Blue Pure 411+ to your space with multiple pre-filter color options, machine-washable pre-filter in Dark Shadow is included. Or, for a Scandinavian look, go without a pre-filter altogether to show off the sleek, white-mesh frame. At Blueair, our Swedish heritage inspires sustainability and quality at the heart of everything we do. All Blueair purifiers are AHAM Verifide® for Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) and given a recommended room size, ENERGY STAR certified, and tested by the California EPA Air Resources Board (CARB) for safe ozone emissions.
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
The Blueair 411 is an air purifier that does the job it's designed for, and does it well, with only a couple of small caveats.
The first caveat is it's a rather large machine that can be difficult to place. I decided to use mine in my master bedroom. The square footage is right at what is recommended by the manufacturer. With three children and a pet there's usually plenty of unwanted things in the air, so I wanted something that made the air in my personal space just a little cleaner.
There are three speed settings. I typically keep it on the lowest setting--it's not very loud so I can sleep without issue, and does the job for everyday use. I'll use the middle setting if the room is feeling 'musty' and only use the top setting for a particularly bad smell or when I'm cleaning and kicking up a lot of dust. The setting works well, but is so loud you genuinely can't do much of anything else while it's going.
After a couple of weeks the filter is already picking up an alarming amount of dust and pet hair, so it's definitely working. Blueair recommends changing the filter every 6 months, or more if necessary. I think I will likely fall into the 'necessary' category, but I'm going to wait for the filter indicator light to come on and see how bad it looks then.
The filters aren't terribly expensive overall, but when compared to the price of the product they're still 15-20% of the overall cost, which seems steep. Fortunately there are other manufacturers making replacements for half the cost of the Blueair filter that are likely just as effective (or at least close). I'm sure they aren't recommended by Blueair, of course, but might be worth checking out.
Overall I'm pleased with this air purifier so far--the air feels cleaner and smells do not seem to linger as long as they used to, it's just a little awkward to place, and could get pricey if you have to replace the filter very often. If you're in need of a product like this in a room the size recommended or smaller, then I recommend it-- so long as you have a spot for it.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Total freedom. No wires, no noise, just immersive True Sound from Yamaha, anywhere you go. These high-performance true wireless earbuds feature Active Noise-Cancelling, Ambient Sound and Listening Care. Bluetooth 5 with aptX provides stable wireless connectivity and superior streaming quality. Ultra-customizable fit with 5 eartip and 3 silicone sleeve sizes, plus a wireless charging case included.
Customer Rating
3
wireless earbuds with some issues
on December 6, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
These are pretty basic wireless earbuds--they sound decent, and work well most of the time, but there are a couple of annoying quirks to them.
First, they look nice--sleek but with enough weight to feel solid. They have magnets to hold them solidly in the case, which is a pretty ingenious touch. You can turn it upside down with the earbuds in and case open and they stay in The case itself is needed to charge them (as is the norm) but fortunately uses a USB-C plug--as everything should. There is one red indicator on the case to indicate they're charging....but no way to know how much charge is left without looking in the app.
The app itself is a waste of time--it genuinely does nothing. Hopefully there will be some upgrades coming, but it's really strange to install an app that does nothing.
This was maybe the biggest drawback to me--there is no EQ or way to adjust for certain sounds or music styles. This seems like a basic system for any reputable music company--particularly a company as well-known as Yamaha. The sound in itself is fine, though suffers from lack of bass like most earbuds do. Spoken words like news and podcasts were very clear. Again--adjustments to certain decibel values would have been nice to have.
I found the fit in the ear canal to be very comfortable, which is odd in itself since I typically require larger sized things like this. These buds felt more secure than most, though I can't help but worry about them falling out while running. There are different size tips to help with the fit. The passive noise cancelling worked for the most part.
The biggest issue I had was with the connections staying consistent--I would have periods where one or the other would repeatedly disconnect to the point I'd have to unpair them and pair them again.
The other issue was the controls--they're built into the headphones themselves with each individual pod having it's own 'touch' controls. Touching the controls required enough force that the buds would work themselves a little too snug into my ears. It was almost uncomfortable.. I pretty much stick to controlling the volume with my phone to avoid this.. Not a huge deal since my phone is usually close by.
The other issue was the controls--they're built into the headphones themselves with each individual pod having it's own 'touch' controls. Touching the controls required enough force that the buds would work themselves a little too snug into my ears. It was almost uncomfortable.. I pretty much stick to controlling the volume with my phone to avoid this.. Not a huge deal since my phone is usually close by.
It's kind of cool they can pair up to three devices at one time
--it does make connecting the next time much faster.
These are good, but not great large wireless earbuds that fall surprisingly short in the sound controls.
--it does make connecting the next time much faster.
These are good, but not great large wireless earbuds that fall surprisingly short in the sound controls.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Control your home’s heating and cooling system remotely with this LUX Wi-Fi thermostat. The Android and iOS companion app supports geofencing, smart scheduling and personalization settings for efficiency, and compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa offers convenient voice control. This LUX Wi-Fi thermostat works with electric, gas, oil and forced-air systems for versatility.
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
The Lux thermostat is a great idea on paper. A low-end, low-price thermostat that costs a fraction of the high end thermostats, but does the same job? Sounds awesome!
Unfortunately the performance of the Lux thermostat was on the low-end. Out of the box it's a pretty straight-forward thermostat installation. There are lots of helpful videos online should you run into any issues. I had no problem getting it on the wall and getting power to it. It did take me several tries to get it to connect to my wi-fi system. The app kept telling me the firmware was updating, while the thermostat kept saying it wasn't connected. I've had the app tell me several times since then that my wi-fi wasn't on or that it couldn't find the thermostat. My wi-fi is very close to the thermostat. I have checked several times after receiving that message, and the other devices in my home were getting a fine signal. The Lux has had difficulty staying connected for some reason.
After that it has been hit or miss with how well it works. The app is very 'clunky' and figuring out how to set the schedule took a while. Once I did get it set it seems to stick to it fairly well....most of the time. There have been a couple of times it just didn't follow it, or the display on the thermostat would show a temperature that didn't match the app.
Most frustrating is it doesn't always shut off when it hits the set temperature. There have been a handful of times that I've had to manually shut it off because it was still running, even though the house was a couple of degrees warmer than the setting--see the picture. It's not obvious, but it was running when I took this.
The picture also shows the other big issue with this thermostat--frankly, it looks cheap. I'm assuming the big trade off in getting a wi-fi, voice controlled thermostat at this price is losing a lot of the information that most smart thermostats can show you--outside temperature, humidity levels in the home, etc. It's very 'low frills,
The voice control also has a huge issue--I use Alexa and the app in Alexa seems to be new, and it's not great. The few times I've tried to change the temperature for even a short time it puts the entire schedule on hold and won't return to it until you manually go into the app and take it off hold. That's incredibly inconvenient (not to mention annoying the first time you discover it). The app can't tell you what your current temperature is in the home, or what the thermostat is set to. Not returning to the schedule (rather than simply be a temporary override) makes it way more trouble than it's worth for something that's supposed to be convenient.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this unless you are in a situation where you must have a programmable or app-controlled thermostat and don't want to spend a fortune on it (maybe caring for someone who has difficulty getting around)--it is affordable. I've seen this thermostat on sale at prices that compare to non-smart thermostats, so it's definitely a great value---so long as you are prepared to give up a lot for that price.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Experience entertainment like never before with SiriusXM’s exclusive 360L technology, combining satellite and streaming features together to transform your listening experience. SiriusXM's 360L technology allows for personalization and access to the most SiriusXM channels.
Customer Rating
2
Too slow to be of much use
on October 21, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
I really, really wanted to like the SiriusXM Tour Satellite Radio Receiver. I have been a Sirius subscriber for a couple of years now, after it was built into a new vehicle purchase and I discovered how much I like having access to Sports and News no matter where I am.
This review is not a knock on the service at all. If you’ve been thinking about Sirius radio there’s likely a few reasons why already: you want to hear LOTS of sports coverage of more than just your local teams, you live in an area where radio is hard to get, or you drive a lot in ‘spotty’ cell and radio coverage areas. Sirius is fantastic for all of those uses, and for specific needs is a pretty great system. The sound is crystal clear, digital quality for both sports and music.
I wasn’t happy that I had to pay to activate a second radio when my car activation was free, so that’s a bad start right from the get-go. Also, service to a second radio is barely discounted. Cable companies figured out a long time ago that you should simply charge for a ‘second device’ and leave it at that. Hopefully Sirius figures that out soon, as double the cost for radio in both cars simply isn’t worth it to me.
The radio itself looks good. The box contains an antenna with a very strong magnet designed for mounting on the outside of the car (in my experience it does not move even the slightest no matter what the driving conditions are)—this has a really long wire, and there are several instructional videos out there to help you figure out the best way to hide it. There are clips for a vent and a very secure dashboard mount to provide a few different options to place the receiver in the most convenient spot. There’s a ‘bracket’ that holds the receiver itself, and a ‘lighter’ power cord that plugs into the mount (not the receiver). There are also screws for mounting the receiver to the bracket, an auxiliary cord for direct plug-in to a receiver, and an instruction guide that covers most everything and has directions on how to find more detailed instructions if necessary.
Overall set-up was frustrating but not awful. My 2013 Honda had some connection issues through Bluetooth, but once installation and activation of the radio were complete it hasn’t had any issues with connecting. It did take a good ten minutes of attempting to pair before I was finally able to connect (using the forced pairing method—scanning never did work). I also attempted to connect to the internet since my wi-fi hits the driveway, but it wouldn’t acknowledge the connection (even though my phone connected to the same network with no issues). You can set up your phone for a ‘mobile hotspot’ for the radio to connect, but there’s a lot of drawbacks to that system. One of the benefits to this system should be that you don’t need to use your phone, but it works best with an internet connection as well as the antenna and in my car that means using my phone, too—definitely a drawback.
The receiver itself looks very nice but is extremely prone to fingerprints. The picture attached is after a day of use. I’ve taken to having a cloth to wipe it off with in the car. It is also extremely slow to boot up, sometimes taking up to four minutes to be ready for use! In my car that’s a huge hassle since my car wants to pair with my phone first. Some cars let you pick the order of connection, but even those will require going into the menu system and making sure it tries to find the radio for several minutes before defaulting to whatever phone it typically connects with. To use the receiver over Bluetooth I must either sit in my driveway while it powers up, then manually over-ride the phone connection or turn off Bluetooth on my phone. Either way it’s not ideal.
Beyond that the radio simply isn’t very responsive. More often than not I found myself hitting the same button over and over until I got a response or I gave up. In theory there’s a lot of good things on here, and when it’s working correctly and responds at the speed it should it’s a nice system. There are good menu groups such as news and sports that make sense and are easy to use—when it works. Also I did notice some of my favorite channels weren’t in any of the groups and had to be searched for manually (I couldn’t find the Dave Ramsey channel in any of the menu options, for instance).
Being able to save favorite channels and access them quickly is a great feature Again, quickly is the operative word, and sometimes it worked great and took me straight to the channel, other times I hit the button four or five times before getting a response or giving up entirely.
If you’re not connected to the internet, then some aspects of the radio don’t update at all. I listened to a few live games and noticed the scores didn’t update (it just gave an ‘updating’ message the entire time, even though the audio played). Scores display and update on the vehicle that has the built in Sirius receiver so I don't know what the issue is here, but I did notice when I tested it with my hotspot on the scores were updated and accurate.
The biggest issue with already being a Sirius subscriber is that I can already do everything this receiver does with the Sirius app on my phone, at no additional cost aside from the price of a phone dash mount. I was hoping this receiver would eliminate the need to stream through my phone, but it’s simply more convenient to continue using the app than it is to use this receiver. The app can stream all the channels, play my favorites and display scores as they happen, so technically it works better, particularly when considering my phone is already on and connects much faster to my radio Bluetooth than the receiver does.
Unfortunately, that defeats the purpose of using this receiver for me. I think this receiver could fit much more specific needs—areas without cell phone reception, or if your phone plan is simply too expensive to stream all the time.
I could also see using this receiver as part of a much larger interior home system with great success…but you’d need a different version of the mount, and a different power adapter (both of which I think are available)—and again, the Sirius app already does all of this. I would have been better served with a ‘dual’ system in one box and a mount that can work with either power system. As it is I likely won’t’ be using this at all.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+19points
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No matter your child’s interests or skill-level, the Root rt0 brings learning to code to life through art, music, and exploration. Its combination of activities, features, and interactive sensors result in engagement for hours at a time and offer many opportunities for family bonding. Spend time with your child while learning new skills and inspiring a lifelong love of code with the Root rt0.
Customer Rating
4
Engaging Coding Training Toy
on October 19, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
The iRobot - Root® rt0 Coding Robot is a fun, engaging learning toy that is perfect for ‘testing the waters’ with coding for your kids.
As a warning: I’m a bit older (I was in high school in the days before computers were everywhere) so coding is something I’ve never learned. This review will reflect that I know nothing about coding. I do have three children that I feel would be greatly served by learning coding beyond what they’re taught in school but haven’t really found a way to get them interested. Devices like this are a great starting point.
MY 8-year-old daughter was enthusiastic about giving it a try, so we unpacked it together.
Included in the box is the robot, a USB-charging cord (type-c thankfully), a dry erase ‘grid board’ that unfolds to a good size, a dry-erase marker, a rag for cleaning the dry erase board, peel and stick decals for use on both the robot and the board, and a tiny bit of documentation including a quick set up guide and warnings. We had a bit of frustration at first due to the extremely rudimentary instructions (basically cartoon pictures)—I get that it’s easier for all languages to include something like this, but even a link to some online instructions would have been helpful.
As the robot was charging (the interior battery was almost full, but still needed about 20 minutes of time to get a solid green light) we checked out the website to see if we could figure out what to do. While the instructions say it’s compatible with an iPad, I got a browser warning with mine that said I needed a ‘Bluetooth compatible browser such as google chrome’ to connect to the robot. I have the latest model, but it's wi-fi only, so maybe that’s why it wouldn’t work? I switched to my laptop and went to the website indicated on the instructions. It took me a bit of time and checking other places for instruction videos to figure out how to pair it, but we were able to figure it out after a few minutes.
I ended up downloading the apps on the iPad for the ‘training guides’ but we could not get it to connect to the iPad even through the app (checking that Bluetooth was on and active) so she used both the laptop and iPad (see picture). Maybe it’s not advanced enough? That system worked well, since the app has some cool training guides. My daughter would watch the iPad then do the exercise in the laptop and would make the robot do a variety of things.
From there my daughter took it and ran. I checked on her progress every few minutes. In the early going she had a lot of questions, but after 30 minutes or so and a lot of ‘oh wow’ and ‘cool!’ from her she was really into it. She has run through the early stages a few times now and has used the basic coding instructions in intricate ways. Every time she would program a new sequence, she’d call me over to check out what the robot could do. It plays music, has various lights, draws with the included marker (very neat) and can be programmed to run very long sequences. The training system is good in that it has already taught her the importance of placing commands in the proper order. It’s also great that this toy has her wanting to learn more.
The basic exercises are fun and engaging, and she obviously enjoyed seeing immediate results with what she told the robot to do and watching it go. She also liked figuring out what went wrong if it didn’t work right and correcting those errors.
The best indicator that this is a ‘success’ is that she has played with it several times within a week now, each time for over an hour and isn’t bored with it! I can’t speak to how well the advanced training courses work, but I am excited that it shouldn’t be long before my daughter is wanting to try those out to see what else the robot can do. It has been a rousing success at keeping her engaged and wanting to learn more!
The battery runs a very long time. Her longest session was over two hours and it was still going when she had to stop.
There have been some hiccups here and there, and again some instructions or a troubleshooting guide would have been nice to have. We have had a handful of Bluetooth issues with the robot disconnecting, but the computer still telling us it’s paired. It took some tinkering, but we’ve figured out a way to clear it and get it re-paired quickly. I’ve always been a believer that you shouldn’t have to find supplemental sources to figure out how to use a device, so that is my biggest frustration with this (and the main reason it’s not a five-star review). One other minor gripe is the charger did not include an outlet adapter, but we had plenty extra (as well as USB outlets) so I assume the company is counting on that to be most everyone’s situation.
Overall if you have children and want to at least get them leaning towards coding this is a great starting point! Highly recommended, just be ready for some frustration that could have been avoided with better instructions.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Offering gamers a massive update featuring upgraded performance, comfort and styling, the Turtle Beach® Stealth™ 700 Gen 2 is the successor to the best-selling premium wireless gaming headset designed for PS5™, PS4™ & PS4™ Pro. The Stealth™ 700 Gen 2 wireless gaming headset features a host of updates including upgraded performance, comfort and styling. An updated flip-to-mute mic enhances chat clarity and seamlessly conceals into the housing when muted. New Aerofit™ cooling gel-infused memory foam ear cushions and a re-designed metal-reinforced headband provides long-lasting durability and comfort. Refined internal acoustics house our 50mm Nanoclear™ speakers for ultra-realistic sound imaging and are optimized to unleash the power of Sony 3D Audio on PS5™. Plus, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 is equipped with Superhuman Hearing® sound setting, proven to give gamers a competitive advantage so you can live 20% longer and win more. Battery life has also been upgraded significantly in the Stealth™ 700 Gen 2, featuring a 20-hour life, at a much lower price than the competition. Enjoy Bluetooth® connectivity to simultaneously listen to music or take mobile calls, without any disruptions to gaming, and easily customize your audio and program the remappable dial and button on the headset using the Turtle Beach Audio Hub app. And of course, connectivity is made easy utilizing a new wireless mini-USB Transmitter that wirelessly connects your PlayStation® to the headset.
Customer Rating
5
Another solid headset from Turtle Beach
on October 6, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
Turtle Beach has made another terrific headset for the mid-to-upper range of headsets. These are a comfy pair of headphones with some great features that are easy to use for basic users, but have many functions for gamers that like to tweak every bit of their experience.
These headphones are light, but appear to be very durable. This is very important for the PS4 since it's in a shared area and my kids like to use headphones for playing Fortnight (I like them to use them too, though it doesn't seem to keep them from screaming at the loudest possible volume). I like to use them for gaming as well, but they're also very handy for watching TV while the rest of the house is sleeping. I also like that the pads are replaceable (though not cheap)--always nice since we have a pet that occasionally gets a hold of things she shouldn't.
They are VERY easy to connect--basically turn them on, and the PS4 finds them! You can also use an app with them on your phone (I did not do this) or connect them to a computer with the wireless USB plug. I've done this a few times--at first just to test them out, but now I like to use them while using my computer thanks to the adjustments Turtle Beach made for glasses-wearers. They are much more comfortable than other pairs I've used on my computer--mainly because I don't have a headache after a couple of hours!
They are easy to charge, and fortunately use the top-notch USB-C chargers that I wish every device used. They're more durable than the old style and seem to charge faster. So far I've been able to use somewhere between 18-20 hours before needing to charge again (which is great, since my kids NEVER remember to plug them in).
The sound quality is terrific as usual, and the 'super-human' mode is neat as it jacks up 'footsteps' and other, lighter gaming sounds to give you an advantage while gaming! My kids tell me it's amazing though I'm not sure I've noticed that much of a difference haha.
The mic is clear and very sensitive! I've been told I'm very easy to hear, and I had to tell my kids not to talk so loud or to move the mic away from their mouth when they were playing, as it sounded VERY loud (but never distorted) when they were playing.
There are several buttons, a volume dial and a mappable dial that are easy to use, but take some getting used to for placement.
Overall I highly recommend these headphones as a nice addition to a gaming set up, either on console OR computer (or both if you don't mind carrying them around).
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Optimize your technique and run faster with NURVV Run. NURVV Run measures your running from the foot using 32 built-in sensors, capturing a range of unique running form metrics and generating personalized guidance and workouts to help you improve performance, stay healthy and fulfil your running potential.
Customer Rating
4
Impressive system for serious runners
on August 1, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
The NURVV run trackers are impressive, specialized new tech designed for serious runners, or those that wish to be.
I have a military background and have been an avid runner since those days. I was excited to test this tech out when given the opportunity.
It turned into a bit of an adventure, but the company’s FANTASTIC customer service really shone throughout my experience.
This is going to be long due to some issues I had, so if you want to read the review of the device itself feel free to skip down.
The first set I received had some issues. I couldn’t get them to connect, the trackers wouldn’t shut down when I wasn’t running, it wouldn’t record runs for more than 2 minutes without stopping, etc. I kept getting an error code that I couldn’t find an explanation for as well. It was obvious after an hour or so of trying everything I could think of that they weren’t operating as expected.
The website is detailed, but unfortunately the FAQ was a bit lacking if you have an issue. An ‘error code guide’ would have been very helpful for me to at least understand what the code meant. Since I couldn’t find any information on how to fix the issues, I reached out to NURVV through the ‘contact us’ information on their website. I didn’t hear anything for a couple of days, so I reached out again and got a response the second time—then realized their first response was relegated to my spam folder. They responded within a few hours each time-- I just didn’t know the first time.
The staff member that reached out via e-mail set up a ZOOM call with me. We went through the testing process together for a bit and figured out they weren’t operating correctly. She arranged to have a new set sent to me immediately. The company e-mailed me a shipping label to send the original set back. I received the new set but there was an issue with it right out of the box (a small part had obviously been damaged in shipping), so they sent another.
Throughout the entire experience two staff members were in constant touch with me via e-mail. Everything they sent came very quickly (typically within two days), and the follow-up for each delivery and on every e-mail sent was great. The company managed to turn an experience that could have been very negative into a positive one through their exemplary customer service. My frustration at not being able to use the device was very much curbed by how hard they worked to make it better.
Throughout the entire experience two staff members were in constant touch with me via e-mail. Everything they sent came very quickly (typically within two days), and the follow-up for each delivery and on every e-mail sent was great. The company managed to turn an experience that could have been very negative into a positive one through their exemplary customer service. My frustration at not being able to use the device was very much curbed by how hard they worked to make it better.
I’m happy to report the third set works as intended. These are extremely sophisticated run-tracking systems, that use sensors in your shoes (placed under your insole) to measure in-depth aspects of individual runs and running technique.
Review of the working device starts here:
The installation is not overly difficult, though one constant issue I found throughout trying to install and use these devices is that NURVV seems to take the attitude that everyone that uses them will be tech-savvy and won’t want much of a guide. This seems especially true of written guides, since every guide in the app is a video link (that I had to continuously pause to keep up with, and occasionally rewind if it got too far ahead). This was frustrating when running into an issue, since there wasn’t really a ‘trouble-shooting guide’. They obviously had prepared for errors since I kept getting a numbered error message. A guide to those errors (and how to address them) would have been nice to see, at least on the website.
One suggestion I would add is a ‘what to expect the first time you use this device’ video (since that’s the guide of choice)—with new tech it’s hard to say what is correct, how long connecting should take, etc. It was confusing hitting points like ‘connecting to GPS’. You’ll likely get the more constant ‘can’t connect to GPS’ ….that message just goes away once it does connect---the way it’s worded it seems like the system isn’t working, and if you’re not patient you’ll assume it’s broken, which is extremely frustrating. The ‘help and support’ area inside the app is extremely limited in the information it has at the moment.
It’s good to keep in mind that this is very new tech, and the company is constantly updating their website, firmware and software (there have been a few updates in the two months that I first started testing these) so these are all things that can be corrected.
Also, there is nothing that indicates it's set to the metric system when you start (the company is headquartered in England) so that can be confusing at first.
Once you have a comfortable understanding of pairing the trackers, checking the trackers, making sure the GPS is synching, etc then you’ll love the amount of information available to you after just a few runs. The device will constantly synch runs, compare to previous runs and give you up-to-the-minute data on foot strike, stride length, pronation, etc. It’s almost over-whelming how much information you can get. A nice part of the system is the constant articles about how to address possible issues (over-pronation, pacing issues, etc) that are available to you through the website. There is a constant ‘7 day summary’ available as soon as you open the app, and a ‘running health score’ and ‘training load’ available after the first 7 or so runs, or once the app feels like it has enough information to run a true evaluation.
There are settings for both indoor and outdoor running and both seem to work well. Of all the settings and information, the “create a performance run” setting is especially cool. You can choose a past run and use that as your base, and then have the app set a pace that is harder (or easier) than the run you chose. It focuses on stride length and helping you improve overall. It is a really nifty addition to the program, and I found it very helpful.
If you are in the market for a device like this, particularly at this price point, then you’re likely already a serious runner or want to become one. This device will help you improve your performance but expect some frustrations along the way learning the lingo and technology. Be secure that NURVV’s outstanding customer service will be there to help should you hit anything you simply can’t figure out.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Keep surfaces dirt-free and dust-free with this Hoover ONEPWR DustChaser hand vacuum. The handheld design offers easy carrying between rooms, while the rechargeable LiIon battery allows for cord-free, continuous use. This Hoover ONEPWR DustChaser hand vacuum has a rinsable filter for easy maintenance and includes an upholstery tool and two-in-one dusting and crevice kit for furniture and hard-to-reach areas.
Customer Rating
3
Good for specific jobs, but some drawbacks
on August 1, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
The Hoover OnePWR dustchaser is a 'portable' handheld vacuum that is a good tool for some specific jobs, but has a few drawbacks.
The best thing about this device is it is powerful for a handheld vacuum. We have used it on our carpeted stairs with the attachment and it does a very good job cleaning the crevices out. It is also good for large, dry spills and gets most of an area clean in one pass and without a lot of extra back-and-forth.
There are two attachments that conveniently fit in the handle. They are good attachments for a device like this, so it's a nice bonus (since attachments on handheld vacuums are rare). It does make cleaning a couch or curtains easier, as well as hard to reach areas on a floor (such as stairs).
For a portable handheld vacuum this thing is huge. The pictures in the listing and online show it being used with one hand, but you can get an idea of the size from those same pictures. It CAN be used with one hand, but it's awkward to do so and you'll likely find yourself using both hands most of the time like I did. I'm not sure if the listed weight is with or without battery, but it's definitely heavier with the battery in--controlling a large, three pound device with one hand with any accuracy is not a very easy thing to do. I will mention my kids love it because it looks like a giant gun. I'm not sure if that's a plus or a minus haha.
The cup is easy to empty and re-attach, and (due to the size) holds quite a bit before needing to be emptied.
The battery lasts about 30 minutes, so this can really only be used for quick jobs before needing to be recharged again. The battery is large and heavy, and takes about 4 hours to get back to a full charge. That can make it inconvenient if you're trying to finish a large job, but have to stop halfway through to charge the battery.
The battery system is compatible with other Hoover devices, though I don't own any. I am a fan of those types of systems since they can help reduce costs and cut down on the need for many batteries and chargers across devices, though with only 30 minutes of use it's hard to imagine not wanting more than one battery, particularly for multiple devices. The other devices that come up in a search all look larger than this one (a stick vacuum, a wet mop and more). The low battery time would be even less convenient on larger devices designed for bigger jobs.
Overall this system works as advertised, but it's large and awkward to use, and can only be used for short stretches. If you're in the market for a very specialized device like this there's not a lot of competition in battery-operated vacuums since most tend to be a lot smaller and less powerful. I would recommend it to a friend with a very specific need--but would mention the drawbacks first.
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Enjoy your favorite podcasts and music on the go with these Skullcandy Indy Evo true wireless earbuds. The sweat-resistant and water-resistant design is ideal for workouts, while the Tile technology lets you track and find them when lost. These Skullcandy Indy Evo true wireless earbuds offer up to 30 hours of battery life for continuous entertainment.
Customer Rating
4
Love these wireless earbuds!
on June 12, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
I've been using the Skull Candy in-ear wireless headphones for about a week now and I'm hooked!
They come with a really cool charging case that makes charging a breeze, and is great for storing when not in use. There is a nice 'light' system on the outside of the case so it's easy to see how much charge is left or if they're finished charging without having to open the app--always a plus with anything that is app controlled like these are! Also, HUGE thumbs up for using a USB-C connector!!! I would love to see every device out there switch to this easy, sturdy charging system since there's very little worry of breaking the charging tab.
The ear buds themselves are fairly light weight, and come with three sizes of adapters to help fit your ears. I used the larger size and they are nice and snug!
I like to wear earbuds while running, so I do wish they'd come with some sort of string clip. I do most of my running outside and if one falls out it will pretty much be gone unless I'm really lucky--that hasn't happened yet, but I'll likely look for an after-market product as a precaution.
The set-up is among the easiest I've ever used. It's the usual download an app, pair it up and follow instructions. This may have been the fastest pairing and set-up I've ever had, so kudos to Skullcandy for making it easy!
The controls are very simple if you just want to get straight to it, but there are a lot of settings for audiophiles to go crazy with! They sound great for ear buds at the basic settings, but I ended up adjusting them a bit to try and bring the bass up. It's one of my few downsides to these, but it's usual for ear buds--the bass is very, very low and can only be adjusted a bit higher before it just sounds distorted. With a speaker this small there's only so much bass you can get, it seems.
The controls take some getting used to, as they are 'touch' controls. Tapping on the ear bud makes adjustments, and that takes a bit of time to get used to, and a bit of precision to adjust the way you want them. They aren't bad for touch controls, but it often seems easier to just open the app and adjust them that way.
Overall this a great sounding, easy to use set of ear buds at a great price point! Highly recommended!
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Get the same possibilities as a full size oven, with quality results, in a convenient countertop size with the KitchenAid® Dual Countertop Oven with Temperature Probe. It's large capacity helps you save time and bake 2 whole chickens* at once. It also features a built-in temperature probe for more control during the cooking process, for perfect cooking results time after time. In addition, it features 12 preset cooking functions, an easy to read digital display, an interior light to check progress at any time without disrupting your dish, and a non-stick interior for quick and easy clean every time. The Dual Convect Bake setting allows you to cook up to 20% faster - compared to Bake setting; 3 lb chicken. *Based on 3.6 lbs weight.
Customer Rating
4
Nice, very large, counter-top oven
on April 21, 2020
Posted by: SgtRock
from Thompsons Station
I’ve been using the KitchenAid Convection Toaster/Pizza oven for about three weeks now. I’ve used it to cook several things at this point and have to say I like it, but there are a couple of issues.
It’s packed very well with lots of styrofoam around it to protect the oven. There are a few pieces of plastic and cardboard in place to protect it during use that have to be removed, but no more than the standard amount for this sort of thing. There’s also a piece of plastic on the plug that must be cut off before use.
This is a very large appliance, so be sure you have adequate counter space and clearance. Believe me when I say you want nothing close to the oven.
There is an instruction manual included with a few warnings included that probably deserve a bit more emphasis than the manual gives them. Overall the manual is useful, and the oven is pretty easy to use once you’ve figured out ‘the lay of the land’ so to speak.
The first couple of uses there is a very strong ‘chemical’ smell given off, which is typical of new ovens. You may want to make sure you have good ventilation at least for the first few uses, as the odor can be a little overwhelming in tight spaces.
As far as cooking goes I’ve cooked a few things and it does a very good job. I made one batch of cookies using both my wall oven and the convection oven. Cooking them both the same amount of time (10 minutes—the default on the KitchenAid and timer on my wall oven) the convection batch was clearly more thoroughly cooked with the top of the cookies browned moreso than the wall oven batch. I’ve also cooked bread and one small roast using the temperature probe and all turned out really well.
The pre-set cooking times worked well for the modes I tried, There are a few pre-set modes for convection cooking that will choose the temperature and time. The two I’ve used worked very well, with the exception of being frustrated by the timer (see next paragraph).
One thing I didn’t care for was the automatic start for the cooking timer. The oven goes directly from pre-heating to cooking, and the beep is not very loud to indicate it’s time to put something in the oven. The timer will start as soon as the oven is ready, whether you’re ready or not. There may be a way to adjust this but I couldn’t figure it out. There was a time or two I had to restart the cycle to get something in the oven for the proper amount of time. Easy enough, but still a bit of a silly hassle that could be easily fixed with a push of the start button.
There are a few drawbacks to the oven: as with any oven of this type the interior cooking area is not very big. If you’re in the market for an appliance like this, you’re likely expecting that. I’ve already mentioned my issue with the timer.
Even with the oven not being very big you still need a lot of counter-space for it. This will very likely be the biggest ‘small appliance’ that you own, and since it is an oven you’ll want to make sure you have space cleared around it as well.
Even with the oven not being very big you still need a lot of counter-space for it. This will very likely be the biggest ‘small appliance’ that you own, and since it is an oven you’ll want to make sure you have space cleared around it as well.
Always keep in mind that this is an oven capable of very high temperatures and should be treated as one. Like all ovens, surfaces can get hot, so be sure and follow the manufacturer’s warnings and suggestions as far as operating this oven safely
If you a decent-sized oven for secondary cooking then the KitchenAid is a good choice, so long as you have the room for it.
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Dominate in style with the Dell G7 17-inch gaming laptop with thin, sleek design, 10th Gen Intel Core processor, NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2070 (Max-P) discrete graphics, Game Shift technology and 4-zone RGB keyboard.
What's the approximate cost of a replacement battery?
Most sites have the G7 battery listed at about $80.
3 years, 2 months ago
by
SgtRock
Dominate in style with the Dell G7 17-inch gaming laptop with thin, sleek design, 10th Gen Intel Core processor, NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2070 (Max-P) discrete graphics, Game Shift technology and 4-zone RGB keyboard.
So im really trying to choose between the 17.3 inch and the 15.7 inch. I have some questions and it would be great if you can help me with choosing. 1st question: Is the 17.3 inch storage upgradable? 2nd: How much better is the max in the 15.7 inch?
With most gaming laptops upgrading the storage means replacing the drive in the system (there simply isn't room for another drive in most cases--which I believe is the case for either of these models). Your best bet is investing in a portable, external hard drive and taking it with the laptop. You can, of course, replace the drive in the system, but that can be pretty difficult since you'll need to copy a lot of the information in the current hard drive first, then transfer it all to the new drive,etc.
3 years, 2 months ago
by
SgtRock
Control your home’s heating and cooling system remotely with this LUX Wi-Fi thermostat. The Android and iOS companion app supports geofencing, smart scheduling and personalization settings for efficiency, and compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa offers convenient voice control. This LUX Wi-Fi thermostat works with electric, gas, oil and forced-air systems for versatility.
Can the thermostat be locked via the software so unauthorized people wouldn't be able to change the settings? I couldn't find this info in the users manual.
Yes--there is a very simple setting for this in the app (and ONLY in the app as far as I can tell)
3 years, 4 months ago
by
SgtRock
Get the same possibilities as a full size oven, with quality results, in a convenient countertop size with the KitchenAid® Dual Countertop Oven with Temperature Probe. It's large capacity helps you save time and bake 2 whole chickens* at once. It also features a built-in temperature probe for more control during the cooking process, for perfect cooking results time after time. In addition, it features 12 preset cooking functions, an easy to read digital display, an interior light to check progress at any time without disrupting your dish, and a non-stick interior for quick and easy clean every time. The Dual Convect Bake setting allows you to cook up to 20% faster - compared to Bake setting; 3 lb chicken. *Based on 3.6 lbs weight.
Will a standard 1/4 sheet baking pan (9.5"X13") fit in the oven?
No. There is a smaller baking pan that comes with it, but the dimensions you describe are too large.
4 years, 2 months ago
by
SgtRock
Experience great gaming with this OMEN Obelisk desktop computer. Its NVIDIA GeForce graphics and Intel Core i7 processor are suitable for virtual reality games, and the 1TB hard drive and 256GB solid-state drive provide extensive storage and fast boot times. This OMEN Obelisk desktop computer's case opens without tools for easy expansion.
I wanted to add another 16GB ram stick. What ram stick is compatible with the current hyper x fury 16 gb stick?
Kingston Technology HyperX Fury Black 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (HX426C16FB/16)---that is the exact match for what's in the system now. If you want to try and find a cheaper match (good luck!) then you'll want to make sure the 16gb and 2666 mhz speed match, and of course that it's DDR4 and for a desktop. Amazon currently has a single stick on sale that matches for the lowest price I've seen, but it's the same exact memory stick. There may be cheaper, more generic options available as well.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
SgtRock
Dive into your favorite games with this Alienware wireless gaming headset. A noise-cancelling microphone keeps your voice clear as you call out commands to teammates, and 7.1 virtual surround sound enhances the audio quality so you never miss a whisper. Featuring two custom lighting zones and 6.8 million colors, this Alienware wireless gaming headset lets you create a custom look that accents your signature gaming style.
Will this work with my alienware 17 R4 computer??
So long as you have USB ports or adapters for standard USB plug-ins they should work fine!
5 years, 8 months ago
by
SgtRock
Enjoy crisp, colorful picture quality with this Full HD HP monitor. The ultrathin bezel on the 27-inch screen provides an expansive viewing area so you can stay productive, and its AMD FreeSync technology reduces input lag and screen tearing. This HP monitor has two HDMI ports for connecting gaming consoles and other devices.
Is there any way to use a speaker with this monitor?
You'd have to have the speakers connected to your computer system itself--there are no speaker outputs on the monitor.
5 years, 8 months ago
by
SgtRock
Nest Doorbell (Wired) lets you know who’s there, so you never miss a thing. It replaces your existing wired doorbell and delivers HD video and bright, crisp images, even at night. It’s designed to show you everything at your doorstep — people head to toe or packages on the ground. And with 24/7 streaming, you can check in anytime. Or go back and look at a 3-hour snapshot history to see what happened.*
Will Google Hello do a better job in regards to lag (delay) and motion detection? I had another video doorbell (rhimes with Ding) which could not adequately connect to the wifi, terrable lag, poor motion detection (false alarms and missed live ones).
From my testing there was very little lag. There is some, of course, but it was maybe 1-2 seconds behind. The motion detection seems to be perfect. It ignores far off motion, but records anything within 10-15 feet.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
SgtRock
Listen to your favorite tunes on the go with this rechargeable iHome IBT74BC speaker, which features a Bluetooth interface, so you can stream music from most Bluetooth-enabled devices, including select Apple®, Android and BlackBerry models.
Does this only come with a cord to charge or does it have something you can plug into the wall with?
It plugs directly into an outlet (the plug is actually pretty large, the wire itself is not).
6 years, 5 months ago
by
SgtRock
Improve your audio experience with this Samsung three-channel soundbar. This unit, which has a built-in subwoofer, channels high-resolution full-spectrum sound and eliminates the need for an extra bass speaker. Use 4K pass-through to connect your Blu-ray player or other UHD device to the Samsung three-channel soundbar for stunning multi-channel audio and a clear picture.
The soundbar comes with the wires to connect it right?
It includes a digital optical wire, but does NOT include an HDMI wire.
6 years, 10 months ago
by
SgtRock